The Broken Songbird
by kb-razykitten
Summary: The first chapter explains this story better than this summary will. But I'll try! :D Nicholas comes from America to France to hopefully work at the Palais Garnier Opera house. Upon arrival she finds out that this Opera house actually has a real life phantom. Will working here be a dream come true or a dream turned nightmare?
1. Author's Note

Sorry this isn't really a story update

BUT! I just relised today that I never really said what time period this story is taking place in!  
>And of course I had to go and make it complicated v.v<br>But I'll try to clarify instead of confuse x3  
>Okay so its like this, the timenperiod for my story is a mix of today times and like ohh 1800s time xD haha<br>For example they have the same digital and theatrical effects we have today, yet they dont have cars? Strange! Dinsey exists, America is the same as it is today, girls are, or can wear pants, but lots of the richer people still go around in dresses and corsets.  
>There are trains and boats of course; I just don't like the idea of cars in this story.<br>I guess you could say that this is like 2014 with a major antique feel to it :)

I know this is strange, but if you have any questions just ask!

**Till next time!**  
><strong>~ krazykitten<strong>


	2. Chapter 1 Dreams

Nicholas stopped at the bottom of the stairs of the Palais Garnier and stared up at its beauty. She had come from America to Paris in hopes to find a better art community and culture than America's. She decided to try and get a job at the very opera house that Gaston Leroux based his Novel Phantom of the Opera. It is Nicholas favorite book, and to get a job doing anything at all in this opera house would be the most cherished of her life.

Nicholas walked up the stairs; she gripped her violin tighter and reached for the handle of the door. She paused right before her hand could touch the gorgeous brass handle, she chewed her bottom lip nervously, trying to decide whether or not to go in. 'What if I interrupt a rehearsal? What if no one is here? What if I get rejected?' She sighed and gabbed the door handle, it was freezing but she didn't let go, she also didn't open the door. Her heart was pounding; she frowned and mentally kicked herself.

"Let's goo Nichol...Just open the door..."

She gulped and pushed the door open as quietly as she could, she slipped inside and closed the door behind her just as quietly. She had her back to the stage and jumped clean out of her skin when a man's voice boomed around the room.

"NO! YOU CAN NOT HAVE A JOB HERE YOU UNGRATEFUL, SPOILED BRAT!"

Nicholas spun around with wide eyes and stared in horror believing the man was specking to her. She relaxed slightly when she saw that he was instead "talking" to another girl. This girl basically had a Shirley Temple hair style, so blond it seemed white. She was turned sideways to Nicholas and obviously had a large breast size, now then if they were real or not; Nicholas didn't know.

The girl stomped her foot and crossed her arms across her chest after the man had yelled at her. She made a whiny noise and stuck her bottom lip out at him. "But I'm JASON SAMPER'S DAUGHTER! I deserve to be given a job here!"

"I don't care WHOSE daughter you are! If you're terrible at acting, singing, and dancing and that's what you're trying to do here then I WON'T hire you!"

"ECH! YOU'RE AN IDIOT! I WOULDN'T WORK FOR YOU EVEN IF YOU BEGGED ME TO!" She stormed toward the door after yelling at him. As she got to the door Nicholas tried to move out of her way but before she could the Samper girl got to her. She glared at Nicholas, "GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU RAT!" She shoved Nicholas and slammed the door open and closed as she left.

Nicholas glared at the now closed door and shook her head angrily, her moment of ranting at the girl in her head was stopped abruptly as she heard the man's voice boom again, but this time she knew he was speaking to her.

"AND JUST WHY ARE YOU HERE!? ARE YOU ANOTHER SPOILED BRAT INTENDING TO USE THEIR DADDY AS A FREE TICKET TO A PLACE ON STAGE?!"

Nicholas turned toward the man and shook her head feverishly. "N..NO! NO sir!...I am in no position to demand a job from you." She stayed standing at the door, too nervous to come closer to the angry man.

"WELL THEN! IN THAT CASE! Please do come here and let me hear your case."

Nicholas looked at the man with wide eyes, and smiled brightly. She quickly went to the man and stopped in front of him. He sized her up and arched an eyebrow at her.

"Well, let's hear it then. What can you do?"

Nicholas's eye brows knitted together as she thought about how to respond to this question. The man seemed to be very stern and she didn't want to goof up on what could be her only chance at a job here. "Umm...Well monsieur I can do anything you need me to do."

The man smirked in a rather sinister way and sized Nicholas up again. "Ohh really!? Then if I needed you to replace my lead dancer you could?"

Nicholas stood up straighter and made her shoulders broader. "Yes sir I could."

His eye brows went up in a look of a mix of interest and disbelief. "If I needed you to replace my LEAD singer you could!?"

"Yes sir I COULD!"

"What if I needed a replacement for someone in my orchestra?" He placed his hands behind his back and smiled his creepy smile at her, as he began to walk around her in a circle.

"I can play any instrument you need me to." She followed him with her eyes, but didn't let her determined air fall.

"What if all I needed was a maid or a custodian?"

Nicholas felt her heart drop slightly but kept her head up and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "I can clean, if that is what you are asking sir."

He noted her delay in responding and nodded at her. "Then as far as I'm concerned you have a job here." Nicholas looked up at him with wide eyes. He smiled slightly at her and then continued, "For now you will be our new...maid. After I have evaluated your everyday attitude I will allow you to audition for any part in the next musical. Does that sound good to you?"

Nicholas couldn't stop herself from smiling, nor could she stop the tears that ran down her cheeks. She smiled up at him even with her tears and nodded her head at him. "Y-YES sir that sounds wonderful!" She curtsied low to him, hugged her violin to her chest, and covered her mouth to stop the few hick-ups from the tears. "THANK YOU MONSIEUR! THANK YOU!"

He smiled again at her and turned to a lady that seemed to be in her late 40's and motioned for her to come to him. The lady walked to him with a bored expression and waited for her orders. "Take..." He stopped and looked back at Nickolas with a slightly confused look. "I'm sorry Mademoiselle, but I do not believe I caught your name."

"It's Nicholas sir." She blushed slightly at her name, being as it is mostly given to boys she often hatted it when she had to tell people her name. He kept looking at her as if expecting her to go on, Nicholas look of embarrassment turned to one of confusion.

He returned her look. "Your last name dear, what is it?" A few of the people around her giggled at her.

Nicholas blushed again and looked down. "I'm sorry sir, but I do not have a last name." This instantly stopped the giggling. "I am an orphan and my parents left me with no name other than Nicholas."

He nodded and turned back to the lady. "Madame Gery, if you would please show mademoiselle Nicholas to a room. Not the one the old custodian used. But maybe the old costume room? I believe it could be turned into a door room if need be."

Madame Gery nodded and looked at Nicholas. "Follow me mademoiselle, I will show you too your room."

Nicholas smiled sheepishly at Madame Gery, and began to follow her, but stopped to curtsy in front of her new employer. "Thank you again Monsieur. I hope I can repay your generosity."

He smiled at her. "Just do as you are told and cause no trouble and my generosity will be repaid, also please refer to me as John."

Nicholas smiled brightly up at him and nodded, "Yes sir, I will do my best and try my hardest. Thank you monsieur John." He smiled back at her and then turned back to the stage to continue with what seemed to be either auditions or rehearsals for the next play. Nicholas took this as her cue to leave and follow Madame Gery.  
>Madam Gery led Nicholas through the back stage of the opera house and down a hall to what seemed to be the only unoccupied room. All the others had light, laughter, and chitchat spilling from their doors. Nicholas looked at all the rooms in wonder, and amazement. She then looked at Madame Gery who seemed to ignore all the chaos around her.<p>

"Umm Madame Gery?" Nicholas looked down nervously as she called out to her.

"Yes?" She stopped and looked back at Nicholas.

"Why is it that this is the only room with no one in it?"

Madame Gery looked around and then turned back and continued walking; Nicholas frowned but followed her none the less. Once at the room Madame Gery turned back around to Nicholas. "I will tell you why but I would rather it be inside the room." Nicholas nodded and followed her inside the room. After Nicholas was inside Madame Gery closed the door and turned back to her.

"The reason for this room being unoccupied is because everyone seems to believe it is haunted. You see this is Costume Room Number 5, and the Phantom always takes Box 5. So of course everyone instantly deems this his room as it is room number 5."

Nicholas nodded and smiled looking around the room. There was already a bed and a dresser, but it seemed that, that was all there was. She turned back to Madame Gery, "I presume they are referencing the Phantom from the Phantom of the Opera play with the whole Box 5 thing?" Madame Gery's expression of boredom never changed as she stared right back at Nicholas.

Nicholas's smile slowly fell as she realized what Madame Gery was implying. "No...No you can't tell me that THIS opera house actually HAS a _PHANTOM!_" Madame Gery only nodded. Nicholas shook her head and rubbed at her left eye, and walked to the bed. She set her violin down and sat onto the bed letting her head fall into her hands. She continued to rub at her left eye and sighed angrily when she felt her contact pop out. She looked back up at Madame Gery, whose eyes widened when Nicholas looked up at her, smiling sadly at her.

"Please don't tell monsieur John, he doesn't...no one needs to know that I'm blind in one eye."

Madame Gery nodded and returned Nicholas's sad smile. "Don't worry Mademoiselle Nicholas your secret is safe with me."

Nicholas smiled at her, "Please Madame just call me Nicholas."

Madame Gery nodded at her again smiling slightly; she then turned and walked toward the door, but stopped right before she opened it. "Oh Nicholas, please if you ever get a letter from the phantom do as it says...no matter what. While this may seem to be stuff of stories, the phantom here is real, and so are his consequences...Also there are 15 other people that live on this floor with you, if you need anything I recommend going to Claire. She seems to be the most...patient with the newbies."

"Umm y...yes Madame Gery. Thank you." And with that Madame Gery left the room and Nicholas to her thoughts.

Nicholas sighed and lied down on the bed letting the fact that the opera house known for the story of the Phantom actually has a Phantom. She shook her head and rubbed at her eyes, it was a force of habit from the contact she would wear to hid the fact that she is blind in her left eye. Nicholas sat up and looked around the room, her eyes fell on the mirror and her heart skipped a beat. The phantom she knew of used two sided mirrors, could this mirror be like that too? She shook her head and laid back down curling up on her side.

_'Not now Nichol...You just got your dream job...Don't go and ruin it by fretting over a Phantom.'_ She eventually fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of masked faces and beautiful opera songs.


	3. Chapter 2 First Day on the Job

Nicholas woke up gasping for air, her hand instantly going to her throat. As she calmed down and regained control of her breathing she looked around the dark room, not really able to see much of anything.

"If only I could see better." she rubbed her blind eye in agitation.

Nicholas got up and dug through her bag looking for her locket. She pulled it out of her bad and opened it. On the inside was a watch, she grumbled angrily when she saw it was only 3:30AM. She looked up and once again her eyes fell on the mirror.

'What if there is a phantom behind it?' Nicholas shook her head and stood up, grabbing her bag as she did, and walked over to the mirror to put what few belongings she had in the dresser beneath it. After Nicholas finished placing her items in and on the dresser she couldn't stop herself from looking at the mirror, trying to see if something or someone was on the other side of it. Of course she saw nothing but her own reflection, staring back at her.

Nicholas shook her head at her own silliness and turned around and grabbed her violin. She opened its case, took it out and quietly started to play whatever came to her mind. It sounded like a lullaby, but she didn't know where she would have heard it, because she was never sung lullabies. 'Maybe I heard it on my journey to France?' As Nicholas continued to play it gradually turned darker and started to sound more like a song you would hear during a tragic part of a play or movie. She sighed and smiled sadly as her fingers instantly found the notes to the Masquerade song from Phantom of the Opera. It was the slow version from the end that always made her heart clenched in pain for the Phantom.

"Christine I loo-ove youu." Nicholas sang the Phantom's sad words quietly, and then let the last note draw out before lying the violin down. She sat there staring at the wall just thinking about how the movie always ended, even though she wished it would change one day. Nicholas shook her head and stood up walking towards her door. 'I would have stayed with the phantom.' She smiled at her thought.

Right in front of the door was an envelope with her name written on it. Nicholas picked it up and opened it.

"Dear Mademoiselle Nicholas,

On the next page I have listed your chores for today. Please see to it that the stage gets mopped and dried before 12:00PM. As for everything else, just finish them before the day is over.

Sincerely,

Monsieur John"

Nicholas skimmed over the list. 'There doesn't seem to be THAT much to do but still to have the whole stage mopped and dried? I'd better get started now.'

Nicholas went back to the dresser and pulled out some old pants of her's and a shirt that was too big. She changed and pulled her hair up into her usual strange looking ponytail.

Nicholas's hair goes past her butt so when she pulls it into a ponytail she loops it back up because it's still too long when in just a normal pony tail.

She went to the stage, 'It doesn't seem like it will be that hard to clean.' She looked around for a light switch and found one that thankfully was just off of the stage. It was the kind that when turned the light got brighter or dimmer. She turned it to about half way and then went to find the cleaning supplies.

After looking in a few different closets she finally found the mop and a bucket and some kind of special soap. She went and filled the bucket up and started mopping.

Nicholas sat down on the edge of the stage and pulled her locket out of her shirt and flipped it open. It was now 5:00 AM. She smiled and looked back at the stage, proud of how good it looked. She let her locket drop back into her shirt and pulled her chore list out of her pants pocket.

'I guess I should go and gather the clothes people have left for me to wash...' She stood up and headed back to the rooms and saw a rather large basket with a note attached to it. She grabbed it and read it.

"Dear Nicholas,

Please use this basket for the laundry. The washers are located in the very back past all of the rooms.

Sincerely,

Madame Gery"

Nicholas picked up the basket and went to the first room. It seemed that they had a system of leaving their clothes outside of their doors in a basket for the maid to come and get to clean.

'How am I supposed to remember who's is who's? ' She grabbed the first piece of clothing and looked for some form of identification, and was pleased to find that it seemed this man had his name on the tags of his shirts and pants. She piled his clothes into the basket and moved on the next room and the next.

At around 7 Nicholas had dropped off the last of clean clothes. A few of the other residents started to wake up, but not too many actually came out of their room unless they had a job to do. She couldn't believe so many of the girls here still wore corsets as everyday clothes. One of the girls had asked Nicholas to help her lace her corset up, and she was surprised to find out it wasn't as hard as it seemed.

Nicholas had just set the basket back in its place when Monsieur John walked up.

"Just getting to the clothes huh?"

"Uh no Monsieur, I just finished with them."

Monsieur John's eyes widened in disbelief. "What!? What about the stage?"

"I finished that before starting the clothes Monsieur."

He smiled down at her. "Well, well its seems I hired the right maid! Keep up the good work." He walked past her and petted her head as he went by.

She looked at her list again and saw that her next chore was to sweep and dust the spectator's area of opera house. She went and got a duster and went to do the upstairs first. Once she finished dusting, it seemed like everyone here was awake.

Nicholas was on her way to find a broom when a gorgeous girl with shoulder length hair stopped her.

"You're the new maid right?" Blondie asked.

"Yes Ma'a-Mademoiselle." Nicholas internally kicked herself for almost slipping into her American ways of saying Ma'am.

"Good! Would you be a dear and go clean my room for me?"

Nicholas's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "I don't know Mademoiselle I have a list of things I must complete."

The blond girls smile fell as she glared at Nicholas. "Look you little RAT I don't care if you have a list! I'm the Primadonna here and what I say goes! If I tell John to fire you he'll do it without even blinking! So either you get your fat ass into my room and clean it or I get you fired...you choose." She crossed her arms across her chest and smiled wickedly at Nicholas.

Nicholas clenched her fists and forced a smile at the bitch. "Yes Madame I'll get to it right away."

"Good! And its Mademoiselle Claudette to you!" with that Claudette turned on her heel and went to the stage. Nicholas glared daggers at her and grabbed a broom out of the closet she took it with her to the Primadonna's room.

The room was a mess! The dresses Nicholas had just cleaned where all over the floor and the bed sheets were tangled and twisted around some other clothes. She shook her head and wondered what this girl could have done to get her room in this kind of a mess. Nicholas hung all the dresses and fixed the bed. She organized the many objects on Claudette's dresses and swept the room. Once she finished sweeping she went to clean the mirror and stopped and looked at herself.

Yeah she wasn't the perfect ballerina sized girl but was she really that fat? She turned sideways and sighed, 'Yeah you are that fat Nichol...' She cleaned the mirror and left the room to go and sweep and do the rest of her chores.

At about 9:30AM they started to warm up for singing try outs. Nicholas was surprised when they started to play Disney songs, and couldn't help herself. From singing along, but stopped when they started to do actual opera songs. She watched as the girls sang wishing she too could sing. But no matter what she wouldn't be able to sing Opera again.

After a few more songs the girls came on individually. She stopped once again when Claudette came on the stage. She started singing and Nicholas winced slightly. Her voice wasn't great...and that was putting it nicely. She had a hard time hitting high note and her low notes sounded too forced. Nicholas shook her head and went back to cleaning.

She was behind the stage when she saw something move out of her peripheral view. She spun and looked toward where she thought the object was but just saw darkness. Her heart was thundering as she turned back around and walked straight into something. She fell backwards and onto her bum. She stifled a scream and looked up at what she had run into. There, looming over her was a man. She stared up at him with huge eyes, she couldn't see his face because it was too dark but she did see the flash of a knife.

Nicholas gulped and started to shake slightly. "I-I'm sorry Monsieur. I didn't see you there...If I hurt you I'm terribly sorry!"

The man leaned over her; Nicholas flinched and turned her head away from him, squeezing her eyes closed.

"I am not going to hurt you Mademoiselle."

Nicholas gasped internally. 'His voice! It's...amazing." She turned and looked back up at him cautiously and saw he had a hand stretched out to her. Nicholas grabbed it and marveled at how much larger his hand was compared to her's. The man easily pulled her up and then even helped her pick up the papers she had dropped. Nicholas was blushing intensely by this point; it was also at this time that she noticed the mask on the right side of his face. Her eyes widened and she instantly averted her eyes realizing she was staring and how rude that was of her.

"M-May I ask who you are Monsieur?"

The man glared down at her as he pondered whether or not to say anything. Finally he replied, "I am the infamous Phantom."

Nicholas's heart skipped a beat; she dared to take another look up at the Phantom and could help but stare at him. "I'm so sorry I bumped into you, and I realize I must be wasting your time...So um if you don't mind I'll go on and let you go."

The Phantom couldn't help but smile at this; she seemed to be so innocent and naive. "Yes Mademoiselle, I believe that would be for the best."

Nicholas cautiously walked past the Phantom and on back toward Monsieur John's office. Unknown to her the Phantom watched her leave before going on to watch the auditions.

Nicholas stopped and turned back to watch the Phantom leave, he was really different from the Phantom in the movie she had seen. This Phantom seemed to somewhat have a heart...but then again Nicholas had only just met the man, and she felt that this chance meeting was all she was going to get.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**I am going to try and write from individual perspectives, just to test my ability to and to give the few readers who are actually reading this some insight into the way Nicholas and some other people think.**


	4. Chapter 3 The Plan

**Nicholas's Prov ~**

A whole 3 weeks passed and each day seemed to be the same do the floors, the laundry, the bitc...erm I mean Claudette's room, then doing the random things I'm asked to do. And just as I thought I haven't encountered the Phantom since that last fate chance. I sighed and kept walking, I had to go sweep the stage one more time as they were putting on Tangled the musical. I thought they would be doing more of a classical type play IF they did a play at all here. But I guess that the director likes the newer Disney movies too.

I was half way through sweeping the stage when Claire walked out; I instantly bowed my head and adverted my eyes. (As was I was taught to do when someone of a higher stature came near me.)

She walked up to me and stopped. I stopped sweeping and glanced up at her.

She was a true beauty, brown hair, blue eyes, naturally red lips and rosy cheeks. She had the perfect hourglass figure...she was every guy's dream girl. And even her attitude was perfect; anyone could tell she was innocent.

"Mademoiselle Nicholas can you to come help me?"

I looked up at her again. "Yes Mademoiselle Claire, but I need to finish sweeping the stage. I am almost done though."

She smiled at me and nodded. "Yes I can wait!" She went and sat down on a stool next to the stage and waited for me.

I felt extremely nervous now as I swept. She didn't seem to be bothered by having to wait for me, but I still felt bad.

I swept the last bit of dust into the trash and put the broom up, then walked over to Claire. She had gotten off the stool and was waiting for me.

"All set?!" She asked me happily.

I couldn't help but smile slightly at her and nod. "Yes Mademoiselle Claire I'm ready."

She turned and waved a hand over her shoulder at me. "Please dear just call me Claire. No need for the Mademoiselle makes me sound like some prim and perfect lady."

I smiled. "Okay...Claire. M-May I ask you a personal question?"

Claire looked back at me with slightly confused eyes and then slowly nodded. "Umm suree."

I looked down and twiddled my fingers. "I...I was just wondering how old you are."

Claire looked at me and turned back around laughing loudly. I blushed and chewed on my bottom lip.

"I'm sorry for laughing. It's just that, that's not exactly what I consider a personal question!" She slowed down to stand next me as we walked, I noticed that she was a good 3 inches taller than me and internally sighed, I wish I was taller...maybe I wouldn't be so fat if I was taller... She seemed to catch onto my rather depressing mood and frowned down at me. I looked up at her and smiled to my best ability trying to reassure her that I'm fine, but she gave me a knowing look.

"Why do you always seem so sad Nicholas?"

"I...I don't know Claire I just...I guess I'm just being overly emotional recently." I lied of course. No need to complain about how I look to her.

Claire sighed and draped her arm around my shoulders. "You need to be happier! You look so adorable when you smile! By the way how old are you?" She smiled down at me then a look of shock crossed her face and she suddenly waved her other hand at me. "Wait Wait! I never told you how old I am! I just turned 22 last month. Now then, how old are you?" She giggled slightly and smiled down at me again.

I sort of gaped up at her, she gave me a confused look and I sighed loudly. "I'm 28...how are you YOUNGER than mee." I pouted and Claire laughed at me and stopped at her room. She opened the door and walked inside; I followed her in and stared at the beautiful dress in front of me.

"What exactly do you need me for?"

Claire smiled and walked to the dress. "I need your help to get ready tonight. I saw the makeup you did for the lead dancer in our last play and would love it if you did mine tonight. I'm replacing Claudette tonight, she seemed to have lost her voice somehow, and somehow I got nominated to take her place."

I smiled up at her and started to get the dress ready as she undressed. "That sounds like a wonderful chance for you to show just how amazing you are." I pulled the strings on her corset tight and tied them quickly.

Claire sighed as she stepped into the oversized skirt. "I know, but I can't help but feel bad for Claudette. Who knows how long she'll be without her voice!"

I couldn't stop the sinister smile from spreading across my face as I thought of how wonderful it would be if Claudette's voice NEVER came back. I got rid of the smile and went back to my normal bored face and started to work on Claire's make up. "I understand, but knowing her she'll be back singing in no time."

Claire laughed and nodded at my comment. "Your right!"

I pulled my locket out and looked at the time, it is now almost 7:00, and the show would be starting soon. I started to put some of the finishing touches on Claire's makeup when Claudette strutted in. She instantly glared at me and walked straight up to Claire.

"The show is beginning soon Claire. You need to hurry if you're gonna have that make up of yours fixed."

I glared back at Claudette and clenched my fists. Screw you...no, no Nicholas calm down you have to be nice. Claire spun and looked at the mirror and gasped.

"Ohh Nicholas...this makeup...it...it's...AMAZING! I don't know why you think I would need to go get it fixed Claudette! This is the best makeup I've ever seen!"

Claudette glared at me again and I couldn't stop the smile from forming on my face. I smiled smugly at her, and started to clean up Claire's makeup station. Claire stood up and yanked me into a python tight hug. I smiled and awkwardly hugged her back.

"Thank you sooo much Nicholas! I got to go now though! Wish me luck!" With that she turned and left with Claudette close on her heels.

I watched Claire kiss Mark (who was playing the main male role of the play tonight) it was the final scene, and of course Claire did amazing. After the crowd dispersed, there was one man that practically ran to Claire. I watched them hug as if they were long lost friends, and then went back to cleaning up. I jumped slightly when I felt a hand grab my shoulder, but relaxed instantly when I saw it was just Claire.

"Come with me Nicholas I want you to meet someone."

I smiled and nodded, following her back to her room. Inside was the man that had ran to her and Claudette. I smiled at both of them, and then looked at Claire suspiciously. Claire was looking down and wringing her hands together. Claudette nudged Claire and glared at me.

"Erm Nicholas...this is Jason. He is a childhood friend of mine and has just asked me to go out with him tonight...but you see the problem is..." Claire stopped and looked up at me. I looked back at her confused.

Claudette sighed agitated and stepped forward. "The problem is that Claire needs to go with Jason, but because of the Phantom having some sort of sick fancy with her she usually has to stay here and practice with him. Lucky for her I have such a brilliant mind that I came up with a way for her to technically be in two places at once."

"And that's where you come in Nicholas!" Claire said excitedly. "I mean I was against this at first, but now I'm thinking it will really work."

I looked back and forth between Claudette and Claire. What did these crazy girls have in store for me?

"YOU, you little rat..." Claudette started.

"CLAUDETTE!" Claire gasped.

Claudette rolled her eyes and continued. "You will be replacing Claire tonight for when the Phantom comes."

I gasped and backed away from them, they couldn't be serious! "WH-WHAT! There's no way I could fool the phantom! Claire looks nothing like me!"

Claudette nodded, "That's what I said, but Claire brought up a good point. If we but you in a corset and put your makeup on just right, and give you a wig, then you'll practically look just like Claire. And if we're going to get this done in time were gonna need to start now!"

They shoved Jason out and started to "doll" me up. They crammed me into a corset and draped one of Claire's dresses on me. Surprisingly it fit. They did my makeup and placed the wig on my head.

"Now then Nicholas, be sure and obey the Phantom, no matter what!"

I nodded at Claire and looked in the mirror. I was surprised to see a girl that actually somewhat resembled the beauty know as Claire. Claire smiled at me through the mirror.

"You're really pretty Nicholas."

I laughed and turned to her. "Only because I somewhat look like you right now...Is there anything else I should know? Because ya'll should really be going now."

Claire nodded and hugged me. "I'm sorry for forcing you into this. Just be yourself and I'm sure the Phantom will never notice." On that note they left. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror.

Yeah the corset did wonders for me, but you could clearly see I was fatter than Claire. I sighed and sat down on the chair, and waited.

After afew minutes I heard the lock on the door turn. I gasped and turned toward the door, and then all the lights went out in the room. I froze too scared to move, my heart was pounding when suddenly one of the many candles Claire had in here suddenly lit. I snapped my head toward it but there was no one there. I was starting to panic; I could feel the fear building, getting ready to consume me. I stood up and spun in a slow circle looking for the Phantom.

I heard a creaking noise, and turned toward the mirror. It was slowly opening, but there was no one behind it that I could see. My heart started to beat faster (if that was even possible) and I edged my way closer to the now open mirror. The man I had bumped into almost a month ago was standing in the passage way behind the mirror. He stretched his hand out to me; I grabbed it cautiously and let him lead me down the passage to a boat.

He didn't say a single thing to me, which made me worry that he may have noticed instantly that I was in fact not Claire. He helped me out of the boat once we arrived at his lair.

He cleared his throat as he guided me up to what looked like a work station. "Welcome to my lair." He looked back at me and gestured around with his hand. "What do you think?"

I turned slowly and looked around; it was cluttered yes, but had a whimsical charm to it. I smiled and turned back to him. "It's very...umm...interesting." I looked up at him and his look made my smile falter. He was staring at me with a calculating gaze, my heart skipped a beat, I knew this wouldn't work!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE - **  
><strong>YAY! I did it! I really like the way Nicholas's point of view came out :D <strong>  
><strong>I plan to do Erik's prov in the next chapter. <strong>  
><strong>Anywho THANK YOU to all of the people reading this and Faving it! It really means a lot to me <strong>

**Till Next time!  
>~ krazykitten<strong>


	5. Chapter 4 WHY?

**Erik's Prov ~**

Claire looked as beautiful as she always did, but she seemed to be quite a bit more skittish tonight. I decided to remain quite on the way down to my "lair" and let her calm down.

Once we arrived I helped her out of the boat and lead her to my work place.

I cleared my throat. "Welcome to my lair. I turned and watched her glance up at me and then look back down at the ground. My eye brows pulled together in confusion. Claire seemed to be acting off tonight; she was never this quiet and nervous. I gestured around the room with one of my hands. "What do you think?"

She looked up and turned around looking at everything. She smiled up at me. "It's very...umm...interesting." My eyes widened. That voice...I've heard it before but it was NOT my Claire's voice! The doppelganger looked up at me and suddenly her eyes went wide. She took a step back from me but I grabbed her wrist in a death grip and pulled her back toward me.

"WHO ARE YOU!?" I growled through my teeth at her. She looked up at me with wide scared eyes and started to shake.

"M-My name is Nicholas."

Nicholas…I've never heard of a Nicholas here before… And her voice seemed so familiar too. I glared at her and noticed that there were pieces of her hair that didn't quite match. She's wearing a wig! I grabbed it and ripped it off of her. She flinched as I reached for her and turned her head away after I pulled the wig off. I stared as practically black hair dripped down below her waist. Of course I knew this voice! It's that new maid that rand into me almost a month ago. I let go of her wrist and she fell over and landed in a heap on the ground.

She sort of curled up and kept her head bowed to me. "I-I'm sorry Monsieur Phantom. I never intended to trick you, but I can't refuse any orders I'm given...but of course I'll take the blame for this. And punishment you would give to anyone else please give it to me."

She was shaking intensely now and glanced up at me quickly, and instantly looked back down before she could make eye contact. My eyes widened at how badly she was crying, was she that scared of me?

I knelt down and gently touched her shoulder. She flinched away and looked up at me. "I'm honestly sorry Monsieur Phantom..."she looked back down and hiccupped slightly, "I'm so sorry."

I sighed and cupped her elbows with my hands, again she flinched but I gently wrapped my hands around her arms.

"Come on stand up...I'm not going to hurt you." I pulled her up and she instantly took a step back keeping her head down. This Nicholas girl seemed to have been raised very properly, but at the same time something was off. This girl wasn't just taught to be proper; she was forced to be...I could tell by the way she reacted to things. It was the same way I did when I was younger.

I sighed and walked over to my work place and slummed into a chair. What do I do now? Tonight was when I was going to expose myself to Claire, and she was going to fall for me...hopefully. One thought kept crossing my mind...why would Claire need to have someone replace her tonight?

I looked up at Nicholas again; she hadn't moved an inch from where he had left her. I rubbed a hand over my face and sat up. "So, Mademoiselle Nicholas," she looked up at me but wouldn't make eye contact for more than a few seconds. She kept chewing her bottom lip, and it seemed that she would chew it to the point of bleeding. Again I sighed and continued with my question, "Why would Claire need you to stand in for her tonight?"

Nicholas shifted her weight a couple of times before answering. "Erm...well you see...her...she is on a date with Monsieur Jason." She looked up at me and bit her lip again. "I believe he plans to begin courting her Monsieur."

"SHE'S WHAT!?" I stood up and stormed over to Nicholas, and got right in her face. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S ON A DATE?!"

Nicholas shrank back slightly, but something seemed to change about her in the blink of an eye. She straightened her back and broadened her shoulders, and looked me right in the eyes.

"I mean she's out on some kind of double date with Claudette. It seems that after tonight's performance Mister Jason came up and congratulated her. They seemed to have known each other for some time before tonight, and if you ask me they seemed to be some kind of sweet hearts. And I don't know why you're takin out yer anger on me! It's not my fault she has found a new love interest...if you ever were one fer her!"

**Nicholas's Prov ~**

At first the Phantom scared me. He was so angry at me...or at Claire...I wasn't sure. But when I mentioned that Claire was out with Jason he seemed to snap. And I couldn't stop myself from retaliating when he got in my face.

"...if you ever were one fer her!" I was in his face at this point and my Southern draw was coming out in every other word. He glared at me and grabbed me by the throat. I gasped for air, digging my nails into his gloved hands trying to free myself from his iron grip.

"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?!" He got maybe and inch away from my face as he yelled at me.

I bared my teeth at him and growled,"I can talk to YOU how ever I feel like!"

He made a loud angry noise and threw me down. My head clacked with the concrete ground and for a few minutes there I saw nothing but blackness and stars. I propped myself up on one of my elbows and gently touched my head where it had hit. I looked at my hand and was horrified to see it was practically covered in blood. A splitting pain went through my head as I sat up, so I sat there for a few seconds. I didn't care what the Phantom was doing at this point, I just wanted to get up and leave.

As I tried to stand everything went black and I felt myself falling again. I stuck my hands out to try and break my fall, but I when I did hit something it wasn't the ground. Instead it was the Phantom's chest. I felt him wrap his arms around me and carefully pick me up. I didn't like to be picked up so when I was able to somewhat see again I pushed at his chest trying to get down. He looked down at me and frowned agitatedly.

"Quit squirming, or else I might drop you again."

I stopped and instead held onto him in fear he would actually drop me...Heeyy wait..."Umm if I might interject, your misconstrued thoughts, but you didn't drop me last time. If I remember correctly I was thrown down by a certain masked phantom."

I felt his chest rumble in a silent chuckle. "And if I remember correctly YOU Mademoiselle hit your head. So you must be remembering things incorrectly."

I giggled at his comment and rubbed my blind eye. I sighed in frustration when I felt my contact come out.

"What is that?" He asked.

I looked up at him with my left eye still closed and opened my hand showing him the contact. He looked at it in confusion as he set me down on a lush chair. He went and got some kind of first aid kit and sat in a chair next to me.

"I see. And why would you need a contact?" He gently rubbed some alcohol where my head was cut, I hissed in pain and jerked away from him. "SIT STILL! It'll be over faster if you just sit still. Now answer my question."

I leaned back toward him and looked down at the contact in my hand. "Well...I...I'm blind in one eye and I wear this colored contact to hide the fact that I'm blind." I chewed on my bottom lip and glanced at the Phantom.

He nodded and rubbed my cut to dry it and get rid of the blood. "I see. But why would you need to do that?" He got out some gauze and started to wrap it around my head.

"I...I just don't want people to judge me for the fact that I can't see with one eye. I mean it never stopped me from doing anything, yeah I get a head ache every now and then but I've learned to live with it." I turned and looked up at him once he was done. He looked at my eyes and grabbed my chin tilting my head in different angles. I blushed and looked at him with a confused look.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled slightly and let go of my chin. "Just inspecting and you know in comparison your eye isn't as bad as other things I've seen." This made me blush even more and I turned away from him. He stood up and put up the first aid kit. "Now then why are YOU blushing?"

Shoot I was hoping he would ignore that..."Erm I guess it's from the bonk on my head." I smiled up at him and mentally crossed my fingers.

He looked back at me and raised an eyebrow, laughing at me. I crossed my arms and pouted at him. He turned around to walk back toward me, but stopped when he saw me and started laughing again. I glared at him turned away from him."HMPH!"

He sat back down next to me still chuckling. "Well HMPH to you too mademoiselle...So Claire is out with this Jason guy huh?"

I looked over at him and frowned at him. He was slumped in his chair with his head in his hands. I went to rub his back, but stopped my hand just a few inches away from his back. I leaned back in my chair and sighed. "Yeah, she is...I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry about rubbing it in your face earlier. I was just angry, and took it out on you...even though I just told you to not take your anger out on other people. Heh talk about being a hypocrite."

He looked up at me and sat up. "No I'm sorry, it's just like you said. I was taking my anger out on you and I never should have done that."

I leaned toward him and patted the side of his face, smiling at him. "It's okay Mister Phantom. I won't hold it against you for tooo long." I laughed in a friendly way, but stopped when I saw the way he was looking at me. His eyes were wide as he stared at me; he placed his hand on top of mine. "I-I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

His eyebrows pull together, "Are you _not_ scared of me?"

A lump came to my throat he just looked so broken...I rubbed my thumb on his cheek, "I may have been earlier, but I would have been scared of anyone who looked at me like they were gonna kill me." I giggled and smiled at him. "But right now all I see is a man with a broken heart...so no I'm not scared of you, and I don't think I ever will be again.**" He looked like he didn't know how to react so I pushed all thoughts of being distant and taking things slow, to gain his friendship of course, and hugged him. He went stiff, but I just hugged him tighter. After a few seconds he cautiously brought his hand up and hugged me back. I smiled and pulled back, we were a few inches away and I don't know what came over me but what I did next would haunt me for many nights to come.

I closed the distance and kissed him. It was a sweet and gentle kiss, his lips were warm and soft, the exact opposite of what I thought they would be like. Very quickly my subconscious kicked me and I jerked back. He was frozen staring at me, I stared back searching his eyes for any kind of emotion, but there was nothing. I covered my mouth, and looked down at my lap. Way to go Nichol...you had a chance to befriend him and you went and fucking KISSED him!

"I'm sorry...I don't know what came over me...I...I'll leave now." I got up and tried to retrace my steps, but because of hitting my head and being carried here I didn't know how to get back. I looked down one path and decided that this would take me...well it would take me somewhere, but before I could even get the beginning of it he grabbed my hand and stopped me. I didn't look up at him but I didn't try to leave either. I just looked down and waited for his wrath, I knew that after the shock passed he would be livid, but I couldn't stop my mind from thinking about how nice his hand felt around mine or how gentle he was with my head, or how his lips felt on mine. I could feel my heart yearn for him, but he didn't...wouldn't want me, he wants Claire.

And I'll admit it...I am falling for this handsome phantom.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE ~**

**** OMG could this possibly be foreshadowing :O lol**

**Welp I don't know about y'all but I'm excited to see where this story goes XD**  
><strong>Yes I do realize I'm the writer, but even I'm not too sure where this is gonna go .<strong>  
><strong>Well I hope y'all are at least enjoying this story as much as I am :D<strong>  
><strong>And it would be greatly appreciated if you would click the like button ^-^<strong>  
><strong>Till next time!<br>~ Krazykitten**


	6. Author's Note 2

Sorry this isn't really a story update

BUT! I just relised today that I never really said what time period this story is taking place in!  
>And of course I had to go and make it complicated v.v<br>But I'll try to clarify instead of confuse x3  
>Okay so its like this, the timenperiod for my story is a mix of today times and like ohh 1800s time xD haha<br>For example they have the same digital and theatrical effects we have today, yet they dont have cars? Strange! Dinsey exists, America is the same as it is today, girls are, or can wear pants, but lots of the richer people still go around in dresses and corsets.  
>There are trains and boats of course; I just don't like the idea of cars in this story.<br>I guess you could say that this is like 2014 with a major antique feel to it :)

I know this is strange, but if you have any questions just ask!

**Till next time!**  
><strong>~ krazykitten<strong>


	7. Chapter 5 Sing With Me

**Erik's prov ~**

She placed her hand on my cheek and patted it gently. I brought my hand up to place it on top of hers. It was warm and soft, and she didn't even seem slightly bothered by me. I just sat there staring at her. No one...not even Claire would touch me, even in such a simple and friendly way as this. Nicholas's eyebrows pulled together in a confused and worried way.

"I-I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

I didn't really know how to reply. In a way yes she had done something...but could I really say it was something wrong? I could see the worry setting into her eyes, and it hit me...she truly cared about me...and once I realized this I knew what I wanted to ask.

"Are you _not _scared of me?" I searched her eyes for emotion, I wanted to make sure she wasn't lying to me.

She sat there for a few seconds then smiled sadly at me, and rubbed her thumb on my cheek in a sweet way.

"I may have been earlier, but I would have been scared of anyone who looked at me like they were gonna kill me." she giggled, smiling at me. "But right now all I see is a man with a broken heart...so no I'm not scared of you, and I don't think I ever will be again."

I didn't know what to say or do...no one had ever said something like that to me...not even my Claire. I guess I zoned out, because the next thing I knew Nicholas was hugging me...she was hugging **_me! _**The man known for killing without a second thought, the man that often was thought of as being not much of a _human. _I just sat there, when I felt her hug me tighter I decided I'd try and hug her back with out somehow messing up. I cautiously hugged her back, then after a second or two she pulled back. We were only a few inches apart and before I could do or say anything that distance was closed.

She almost instantly jerked back, her eyes wide. She stared at me looking for something, but when she didn't find it she covered her mouth and slumped over her lap.  
>I brought my hand up to my mouth...she'd kissed me...and now she regretted it...I knew that this would happen one day, but not with a girl I'd mistaken for Claire and had know for what? Less than even 5 hours? But I couldn't help but like it. her lips were soft and warm, I wanted to do it again...only this time I wanted it to be Claire. Nicholas was okay and seemed to be more friendly with me than Claire, but Claire was <em>perfect. <em>She had the perfect shape, could sing, dance and had a such a lovely personality.

I didn't notice Nicholas stand up. She said something and I only zoned in for the tail end of it.

"...leave now." My head shot up she looked at a few paths and decided on one, either she was lucky or remembered just a little of where I brought her from, because she chose the right path. I jumped up and grabbed her wrist. She stopped, but wouldn't look up at me.

She sighed and clinched her hands into fists. I grabbed her chin with my other hand and tilted her head up, my stomach dropped when I saw her crying. She wouldn't meet my eyes so I let go of her wrist and grabbed her face with both of my hands, brushing at the tears with my gloved thumbs. I leaned down to get eye lever with her, "Please look at me."

She did, but it seemed to only make her tears fall faster. I didn't know what to do, nor did I have the slightest clue as to why she was even crying. "I...I'm sorry?"

She shook her head and stepped back out of my hands. "No...I'm...well mmhmmm." She looked down mumbling and blushing slightly.

"What?" I tilted her chin up again. Her blush darkened and she chewed on her bottom lip. I sighed and pulled her bottom lip out from between her teeth with my thumb. "Quit chewing your lip off and tell me what you said."

She stared at me then sighed. "I...I said that I'm sorry...but at the same time I'm not sorry." She looked away, and tried to turn away again but I didn't let her.

I stood there holder face thinking about what she had just said. She wasn't sorry about kissing me?...Does that mean that what I am doesn't bother her? Or has she just not heard all of the stories? I couldn't think of anything to say so I just hugged her. This time it was her turn to go stiff. I felt her slowly lift her arms and hug me back, she relax and leaned into me. A feeling I'd never had before swept through me...I just wanted to hug her and never let go...is that weird? Probably.

I sighed and pulled out of the hug with my hands on her shoulders. A thought crossed my mind and I decided I might as well ask her. "So other than cleaning what can you do?" I let my hands drop off of her shoulders and took a step back.

"I can play the piano, the violin, and the harp. I can dance, and choreograph dances. I can write music...it may not be the best, but it makes me happy. I can makes any type of clothing." She was holding one of her hands up counting off with her fingers. She stopped one one of them thinking about it, "Umm I guess you could say I'm an amateur contortionist and gymnast. I can cook and bake, had to learn because I was one of the oldest at the orphanage. Umm and I guess that's all really."

I blinked at her and shook my head chuckling. "How could you have learned all of that?"

She smiled and shrugged. "I had a lot of free time, because no one wanted to adopt a half blind, fat girl."

My smile faded and was replaced with a confused look. "The way you say that...it seems like you're implying you are still fat?"

She smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes I am still fat...or well fatter than I should be." She sighed and frowned, "Dancer are to be tiny and light as a feather. I am neither. They are also supposed to be tall and elegant, yet I am short. Id like to claim that it is all muscle, but it would be a lie. I believe most of it is, but there is still too much fat."

I eyed her up and down, I'll admit she was a bit larger than most of the dancers here, but she was also far from fat. I shook my head and repeated her action from earlier and placed my hand on her cheek. She looked up at me and smiled. I didn't know how to approach telling her she wasn't that fat, because I believe that would just upset her more than reassure her. So instead I grabbed her hand and lead her over to the organ. I know she said she could play the piano, but maybe she could also play the organ...that reminds me if she can do all of the others things she claims she can do...I wonder if she can also sing?

She looked at the organ with excited eyes and sat down on its bench as fast as she could. I smiled and took a seat next to her. "So I was wondering Mademoiselle Nicholas, can you sing?" She had positioned her fingers to play something but froze when I asked. She shook her hair to make it drop and block her face from my view.

"...no...I can _not_ sing.."

The way she said it...it sounded as if she needed to add an anymore to the end of her sentence. I frowned and brushed her hair back out of the way she was staring down at the keys her hands had never moved. She glanced at me and sighed, nodding at me.

"I guess you guessed right...I can't sing _anymore._"

"Why?"

She shook her head smirked at me. "I can have my secrets too." She winked at me giggling and looked back at her hands and re-positioned them on the keys. She laughed at something and I was going to ask, but be fore I could she began to play the Phantom of the Opera's theme music. I glared at her and she looked up at me and laughed again.

Even though it was obvious she was playing thing to mess with me I couldn't deny she was good. I started to play a few extra notes and cords here and there to add to the song. She looked over at me and smiled as she started to just play the notes for the vocal part and I took over the cords. She was humming along with the words smiling happily, and for some reason I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Right now she seemed so happy...so relaxed...so...beautiful. I blinked and turned back to the organ, I was sure she would have caught me staring but she was so absorbed by the music that she completely ignored it. Soon the song came to the male, Phantom's part and I smirked and decided to sing it for her.

**_"Sing once again with me...our strange duet! My power oover youu grows stronger yeeet. And though you turn from mee to glance behiiiinnndd. The PHAANNNTOOMM of the opera is there...inside your miiind."_**

She turned to me with wide eyes, but smiled and played the next part, I had hoped she would sing it, but she seems to he determined to not sing. As she played though it sounded as though someone were singing the notes. I noticed the notes being played weren't the same from what was normally played and she was humming with it so it honestly sounded like someone singing.

I shook my head and sang my part of the now duet. I stole glances at her as I sang, she was so into the music...it made me WANT to hear her voice. I decided I would get her to sing for me tonight. No mater what, I was going to hear her voice.

**Nicholas's prov ~**

I smiled as I played, trying not to laugh. I know it wasn't the nicest thing to play the Phantom's theme song in front of the real Phantom, but I just couldn't resist. I loved that song and it had been so long since I'd played an organ. It felt great to have my fingers dance across the white keys, it was like they were greeting a long forgotten friend...I loved it.

I was startled when I heard him sing, I guess I'm just so used to playing this song alone that I just never expected to hear someone sing it while playing with me.

His voice is amazing! I looked over at him with wide eyes, he just smirked when he finished I smiled and went on to play the next part. Oh how I wish I could sing it, but just thinking about that made mt throat close up slightly, and my heart quicken. I sighed and finished the song listening to him sing, I wish I could sing with him but that'll never happen..

When the song ended I looked over at him and smiled. "Your voice is amazing."

He smiled back at me, "Thank you mademoiselle, but what I want to know is what your voice sounds like."

I sighed and looked back down at the organ and tapped my fingers on the keys, but didn't push them down. I tapped the notes of one of my favorite song, thinking of how to reply. If I were to even try to sing for him it would end the same way it always does.

He reached over and pushed my hair back over my shoulder again, I looked over at him, frowning. "Please just try for me?" I sighed and looked back down. I wanted to...I really did...but I could only sing alone. I'm much like the people who can only sing when they're in the shower...Only I wasn't always like this. When I was much younger I would sing all the time, but now I can barley even sing. _"Isn't it time for a change?" _a small voice questioned in my mind...why not? I've gone almost 17 years with out _anyone _hearing me sing...I just wish it wasn't going to be the phantom that would hear me after so long...if i can even get myself to actually sing. Nodding I looked back over at him.

"Fine. I'll try...but I make no promises that it'll be good or that I'll even sing. Okay?"

He nodded, "Yes. Yes that's fine."

I sighed shakily and started to play the into to Reflection from Mulan, I know it was a weird one to choose, but I couldn't help it. I'm nervous and I know this song by heart, and for me its an easy sing...but already my hands were shaking, my throat felt two times too big and when it actually got to where I would sing I broke. I couldn't.

I lifted my hands off the keys and balled them into a fist to try and stop the shaking. My throat went back to normal, but it didn't matter because by this point I was crying. I heard him stand up and walk behind me. I shook my head and whispered, "I'm sorry...I just can't..."

He placed a hand on my head sighing. "Its okay...I want you to try again."

I shook my head again, "It will end the same. It always ends this I'm not alone it will always end this way."

He gathered my hair into his hands and pulled it behind my back, then placed a hand on the small of my back and the other on my shoulder, "Sit up straight." He pushed on my back and pulled my shoulder making me sit up. "Now close your eyes. Imagine your alone." I did as I was told and started to relax a little, it wasn't the easiest thing to do, because his presence was so hard to ignore. "Slow your breathing, relax, and imagine.."

Gradually everything but him disappeared from around me. I couldn't hear the water echoing as it hit the stone, nor could I hear the wind whispering through the many tunnels. No in my mind we were in the attic of the third orphanage I lived at, it was in Florida, I spent most of my childhood through teenage years there. In the attic I learned to play almost all the instruments I know to play today. They had an organ, a piano, a harp, a violin, a flute, a guitar, and many more.  
>In my mind I was already sitting at the organ, the Phantom behind me. I put my back in place to play the intro to Reflection. This time as I played only my heart rate changed, but it was different it was from the thrill I used to get when I was getting ready to sing for someone, not the from the fear of memories and ghosts.<p>

When it came time for me to sing I opened my mouth and expected my throat to close again, but this time my voice came easily.

_**"Look at me...I will never pass for a perfect bride...or a perfect daughter. Can it be I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see that if I were truly to be myself I would break my family's heart." **_The phantom placed his hands on my shoulders, I stiffened slightly, but for some reason even though I knew he was here I was still able to relax and keep singing. _**"Whooo is that girl I see..staring straight back at mee. Why is my reflection someooone III don't knooww? Somehooow I caan noot hide who I aamm though I've tried. When will my reflection shooow who I amm inssiiideee?...When will my relfection show whoo I am..insiiiiidde?"**_

I opened my eyes and stared wide eyed at nothing really, my mind was numb the only thought truly able to even enter it was that _"I __**did**__ it!"_ A smile spread across my face and I turned around to the Phantom and jumped up to hug him.

"Thank you Monsieur Phantom! Thank you!"

He hugged me back, chuckling. "I didn't do anything really. Your the one that can already sing so well."

I shook my head and stepped out of the hug. "You helped me to sing in front of someone. I haven't done that in almost 17 years. Thank you so much Monsieur Phantom."

"Just call me Erik, Mademoiselle."

"Well in that case just call me Nicholas...Erik." I said, smiling up at him. Suddenly a thought crossed my mind. I pulled my locket out of what little cleavage I had and opened it. 3:30AM I sighed closing it, and dropped it back into my dress.

"What's wrong?" Erik asked looking at me with a confused look. "Are you getting tired?"

I laughed, "No trust me I'm not tried. I just have maybe an hour before I need to go and get started on cleaning the stage and doing the laundry."

"What about sleep? You need at least a little of it to function properly today." He was looking at me like I was crazy and I sighed.

"Its sweet that your worried about me, but I have severe insomnia. I haven't had a decent night of sleep for the past five months." _'Besides'_ I thought, _'when I do sleep, I end up having the same nightmare.'_

Erik sighed and shook his head at me. "Do you wish to return to the surface world now then?"

I thought about it, what would I do if I did go up now? Clean? I didn't want to start this early. "No." I shook my head at him as I turned around and sat back down on the organ's bench and patted the spot next to me. He joined me and I placed my hands on the keys. "I would like to stay and play with you."

He nodded and put his hands on the keys as well. "What would you like to play?"

I looked over at him and shrugged. "You lead this time."

And so he did. We played and eventually I stopped, so I could sit and listen to him play. His music was sad, but beautiful, and I was shocked to find myself being lulled to sleep by it. My eyes grew heavy, but I tried my hardest to stay awake. Who knew if this would be the last time I ever see Erik like this...and I didn't want to miss any of it. But sleep won the battle and I soon felt myself slump against him.

**Erik's Prove ~**

I was playing a song I'd recently been working on and not too soon into it I felt Nicholas lean against me l. She'd fallen asleep. I laughed and looked down at her.  
>"What was that about insomnia?" I inspected her face and noticed the dark circles under her eyes, they were being covered by makeup but I guess it was coming off. Gently I rubbed at it, reveling their true color. I frowned at what I saw, she had almost black circles under her eyes. "So her insomnia is real.."<p>

Carefully I picked her up and carried her to the boat. Once again I picked her up and went back to the Primadona room. I had planned to leave her here, but someone must have gotten into the room, because the window was open letting in the cold air of winter. I also noted that Claire was _not _back yet. So frowning, I instead shook Nicholas gently her eyebrows pulled together and she blinked her eyes open, but they closed almost instantly.

"Nicholas," I whispered. She stirred and opened her eyes drowsily again. "Which room is yours?"

"F..fummm." She mumbled then breathed deeply and rubbed her face into my chest. I smiled and tried again.

"Nicholas," I shook her again. "Come on. I need you to say it again."

She sighed and opened her eyes again. "ff..firve..." she mumbled. Again she was instantly out.

I walked to room five and laid her down on the bed. I turned to leave and noticed a note on the ground. I picked it up and read the word that was scribbled on the front of it.

"Work?" I whispered. "I guess they just leave her a list of things to do."

I remembered that she said she would soon have to clean the stage...maybe because this was the last showing she wont have to clean it today, as they wont be rehearsing for a while. I opened it carefully and read her chores.

_"Dear Mademoiselle Nicholas, _  
><em>As tonight was the last performance of Tangled I will not require you to clean the stage, but you will still need to do the laundry, sweep, and dust. If you finish before 2:00PM you are invited to go with me and a few of my colleagues and a friend or two of yours<em>.  
><em>Sincerely, <em>  
><em>John"<em>

For some reason after reading this I wanted to rip it up...but why would I? Nicholas isn't Claire, whom she hangs out with is no concern of mine, but I couldn't deny the fact that I didn't want her to go with _Monsieur John_ he was not the kindest of men. _'Oh and you are?' _a voice taunted in my head. That may be true, but John is worse...I've seen what he is capable of and not even I would do such things. An idea struck me..one that would keep Nicholas away from John. I smirked and took her note went to her desk and picked up the pin she had laying there. I flipped the paper over and wrote my own note to Nicholas.

I finished, folded it back up and placed it in its envelope. I then left for my liar, to work on ideas to help Nicholas get past her fear of singing in front of people...and for once Claire was far from my mind.

**Author's Note ~  
>So what do y'all think?<br>I'm really happy about where this us going to go, but ya know if you'd like to leave any kind of comment don't hesitate to do so! I've never really had a comment on my story before! XD**

**Till next time!**  
><strong>~ krazykitten<strong>


	8. Chapter 6 Only for Claire

**(AN. Just a small warning . I sorta started this then laid it down and just recently picked it up again so if the Pov changes randomly I'm sorry ;n; I'll try to control it but I'm not going to make any promises.)**

**Nicholas's Pov ~**

I woke up and looked around my room. A few fuzzy memories of being carried by Erik played through my mind as I sat there, smiling I went to run my fingers through my hair stooping when they met the wrap from last night. I pulled it off and stood up, sighing and stretching to relive the soreness from sleeping in a corset. As I put on some normal clothes, I looked in the mirror and frowned at my blind eye. I'd lost my contact last night, but lucky me I'd recently gotten quite a few of them. I opened the top drawer of my dresser, and pulled out my stash of contacts. I had at least a year's worth left, but I hated to wast and I'd just put that one in recently. I frowned and put in the new one, then turned toward the door to look for my note from Monsieur John.

I grabbed it and sat in my new chair, it was of course a used chair, but it was still new for me. I opened it and read it, I was confused to see he had invited me to go out with him. Do I go with him to be courteous? I was hopping to look for Erik today, after all he never said I couldn't go looking for him. I reread the invitation and sighed.

I pulled my locket out of my shirt and looked at the time. 6:00AM, plenty of time for me to do all my chores and to get ready to go on this outing with Monsieur John. I dropped the note when I put my locket back in my shirt, it landed with Monsieur John's note facing down reveling another note on the back. I looked at this new found note with confusion and picked it back up. My eyes grew wide as I read it.

_"Dear Nicholas,_

_After hearing your voice last night I would like to tutor you, and help you get past your fear of singing in front of others. Please come to box 5 at 1:00PM. I will join you there at about 1:10._

_See you soon,_

_Erik"_

My heart was thundering in my chest and ears by the end of the note. A smile split across my face and I jumped up, folded the note put it in my back pocket and raced out of my room to start on my chores. On my way to the stage I practically ran over Meg, Madame Gery's daughter.

"Oh goodness I'm terribly sorry Miss! I just didn't see you there!" I was blushing a bright red and stuck my hand out to help her up.

Lucky for me she just laughed and took my hand, "Its okay! Its okay! We've all done this one or twice in our life." I smiled back and curtsied to her.

"Thank you Miss, but I must be going I have chores to finish and today I have a time limit." I smiled up at her and took off again.

I ran to the broom closet and grabbed a duster. This presses continued till I was done with everything but the laundry. I quickly started on gathering the first batch, and on the way back to gather the second batch I checked the time, 9:30. I sighed, today the time seemed to fly by as where normally it dragged. By the time I was done with the laundry it was 10:00, I was cautious approaching Claudette's room to drop off her clean dresses, I didn't want to have to do some random chore for her.

Again I lucked out, as it would appear she was out right now. I ran to my room, but stopped dead in my tracks when a thought crossed my mind. I don't have anything to wear! Normally I wouldn't care, but in this case I wanted to dress to impress. Even of Erik only had eyes for Claire, I wanted to turn those eyes to me. I turned and ran to the costume room, inside there were clothes for every occasion. I grabbed a pair of black pants and a white and black corset. It turns out they weren't that uncomfortable, _and_ they really did wonders for my figure. I dropped off my borrowed outfit at my room and took off to take a shower.

On my way back to my room I ran into Claire. She looked me up and down and gave me a knowing look.

"Getting ready for a date are we?"

I blushed and shook my head, "N-No!...well not really...sorta? I'm not too sure."

Claire draped an arm across my shoulder and sighed in a happy way. "Trust me by the way your acting it'll be a date! Now then you _do _have something to wear right?"

I nodded, "Yeah...I sorta borrowed it from the costume department." I laughed nervously.

Claire laughed and ruffled my hair. "That's okay everyone here does it all the time."

I relaxed and smiled up at her. I let Claire go in first and closed the door, then turned to see her inspecting my outfit. She looked it over and nodded approvingly, "I like it. It'll cover you enough, yet expose enough to leave your mystery man wanting more." I blushed and gaping at her. She just laughed and waved a hand at me, "Don't look at me like that you know its true! Now then! Do tell who is it your meeting tonight?"

I dropped my towel and grabbed the corset and some panties, trying to stall as I thought of something to tell her other than the Phantom. She tapped her foot at me and huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. I sighed and pulled on the strings of the corset, "Help me and I'll tell you."

She smiled and practically skipped over to me to tighten it. I looked in the mirror back at her, even now, with no make up and her hair in its natural state, I could see why Erik would want her over anyone. Claire is like the gems on display in museums, everyone comes and gazes with awe at her, but only a lucky few will ever get through her glass case. She caught my gaze and smiled at me, I smiled back sadly.

I know I'm going to have to tell her its him, but I'm so scared of how she'll react. He was her's long before I ever came here. She smoothed my hair, giving me a confused look. I looked down at my hands and sighed again...well she'll hound me till I tell her so I might as well get it over with.

"You can tell me. If you want him to remain a secret I promise I wont tell anyone!" Her eyes pleaded with me. I tuned and looked up at her frowning.

"You won't like it. He's been yours for a long time now."

Her eye brows knitted together as she thought, then her eyes grew angry. "It had better **not **be James. I swear to god if it is I'll.."

"Its not!" I cut her off, shaking my head. "No. I could never do that to you...I can barley even do what I am doing to you..."

She eyed me still frowning, "Then who is it?!" She crossed her arms waiting.

"The phantom." I whispered.

Claire's eyes widened, then she laughed letting her head fall into one of her hands. "Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"I thought you would be mad at me..." I looked down playing with the frill at the bottom of the corset.

Claire laid her hand on my shoulder, "I'm not...Quite frankly you can have the freak all to yourself.."

My head shot up and I glared at her, "DON'T call him a freak! He has done nothing, but love you and teach you! And this is how you repay him!?" Claire stared in shock at me and removed her hand from my shoulder. I sighed and took a few seconds to calm myself.

"I'm sorry..I just..." She stuttered through the apology, and even though she did sound apologetic I could see that she wasn't sorry about it so i stopped her.

"No its fine. I never should have snapped like that. We are all entitled to our own opinions."

She shook her head, "No. No your right I never should have called him that, and the way I worded that sentence was going to make it sound a lot worse than I had intended it to. So if its okay I would like to retry."

I smiled and nodded at her. "Yes of course, but would you mind too teribly if I finished getting ready while you talk?"

She smiled, going back to normal, and nodded at me. "Well what I had really ment to say was that it doesn't bother me in the slightest if you take him from me...I mean I will miss him as a teacher, but..."

"Who said I was taking your teacher?" I looked back at her in the mirror.

"OH? I thought for sure that, that is what you wanted from him."

I thought about what she said and shook my head, "No no...well yes...but no." I laughed at how stupid I'd just sounded and turned around, having finished my makeup, wasn't too much just enough to make me not look dead. "I guess what I mean is that yes, I do want him as a teacher, but at the same time...I would like him as more than that."

Claire's eye brows shot up. "You've only known the..._man.._.for what? Not even a day now?!" Claire shook her head.

(~~AN. Random Pov change is here~~)

"What's so wrong with that!?" Nicholas exclaimed, her face a dark shade of red. "It's not like I'm asking him to **MARRY** me or anything! Am I not allowed to have a crush!?"

Claire put her hands up in defense. "No. No! I didn't mean it like that! I'm just saying you don't know much about him...he's done a LOT of bad things Nicholas...and I just don't want you to get hurt."

Nicholas looked down and hugged herself. "So what if he's done bad things. I had to be with people that have done worse...and don't worry about me getting hurt...I'm tough!" Nicholas look up and flexed one of her arms, patting her muscle.

Claire laughed and shook her head, "No you silly girl...I mean _emotionally_."

"Ohhh...well you don't have to worry about that either..." Nicholas frowned and laid one of her hands over her heart. "This doesn't work that way any more."

Claire sighed and hugged the smaller girl. "Well ya know what? I don't think his works either." Nicholas gave Claire a disapproving look and opened her mouth to say something but Claire just pulled her back into the hug and stopped her. "Let me finish!" Nicholas sighed and nodded. "What I mean is maybe y'all could get your hearts to work again...together.."

Nicholas looked up at Claire with wide eyes and then smiled and hugged the blonde as tight as she could. "Thank you Claire."

Nicholas practically ran out of her room and toward the meeting point, she grabbed her locket to keep it from bouncing everywhere, and while looking down to grab it she ran right into someone. She caught herself to keep from squishing the person below her and instantly was pouring out apologies. Her cheeks were already turning red, but when she saw that it was Monsieur John her whole face turned dark red. Nicholas jumped off of him and helped him up.

"I'm so sorry Monsieur John! I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

He laughed and patted her shoulder, and in Nicholas's opinion left it there for too long. "It's okay! In fact I was just coming to ask if you were going to be able to join me today."

Nicholas stepped back from him and looked down at her hands nervously. "Ummm about that...no I will not be able to join you...I already had plans today. I'm sorry." Nicholas squirmed under his touch, as his hand went from just laying on her shoulder to gripping it painfully. Nicholas finally ripped her shoulder out from his hand and rubbed at it, she looked up at him confused as to why he would do that.

He shook his head and sighed, "I'm sorry about that Nicholas." He reached for her again, but Nicholas backed away.

"No I'm sorry Monsieur John, but I need to go." She turned and walked away as fast as she could.

(AN. Gonna try and make it from Nicholas's Pov again!)

I grabbed my locket and checked the time, 1:12, I snapped my locket shut and gulped walking up to curtains. '_I'm late...he's gonna be mad.' _I peeked into the box and saw him sitting in one of the chairs. I crept in and got up right behind him. I slowly reached forward to try and scare him.

"You're late." Erik stated, I jumped and made an eeping noise. He stood up and looked back at me. I glared and crossed my arms over my chest, he laughed and raised his visible eyebrow at me. "Did I _scare_ youuu?"

I stuck my tongue out at him, "You scare a lot of people."

He shook his head still smiling and turned to open his secret door. "You got me there." He stepped inside the dark passage way and reached his hand back for me, "You coming?" I took his hand and closed the door behind us, and then instantly regretted it. I couldn't see a thing, I tightened my grip on Erik's hand he sighed and walked behind me.

"There are quite a few stairs, can you see anything at all?" He placed his hands on my hips and gently push on them to get me to move forward.

I grabbed his wrists and shakily took a step down. "N-no. Being blind in one eye and being in the pitch black dark never really works out for me." I had made it down maybe three stairs and was staring to feel okay about it, but I guess it's like they always say, the minute you get slightly confident about something you're bound to mess up. And mess up I did! I slipped on the next step. I squeezed my eyes shut, (not that it really mattered) clutched Erik's wrists and prayed I wouldn't fall too far.

"Easy there, I'd like to keep my hands." I opened my eyes and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Some how he wasn't even effected by my slip up, he just supported my weight as if it were nothing.

"Oh sorry!" I relaxed a little and re-situated myself on a step. He sighed and moved one of his hands to behind my knees. "Errm w-what are yo-" But before I could finish my sentence he lifted me up bridal style and started to carry me down the rest of the stairs. I instantly had a death grip on his shit and pulled myself as close as I could to him.

"Why are you always so jumpy when I pick you up?" I felt my face heat up and tried to losen my grip, but I just couldn't, each time I tried I remebered a not so fun time in my life. Erik sighed, "You dont have to tell me if you dont want to but you really dont have to hang onto me like your life depends on it. I promise I won't drop you."

I sighed and chewed on my lip thinking about how to explain it, or to just play it off as something stupid. I sighed again and relaxed a little looking up in the general direction of Erik's face, '_I wish that there was at least SOME light in the stupid stairway...then again then he'd be able to to see me blushing and spazzing...but didn't he say he can see in the dark? Hmmm ya know if you combine his reflexes, attitude and supposed ability to see in the dark...he sounds just like a cat_!' I stopped the first laugh but couldn't stop myself from shaking trying to hold them in. I could feel him looking at me and I tried to get control over myself again, but failed and just laughed loudly instead.

"And just WHAT is so funny?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" I covered my mouth trying to stifle the laughs. I could feel him glaring at me, but it only made me laugh harder. "I'm sorry! I just -laugh- can't -giggle- stop!" Erik snorts and huffs at me, and I take a deep breath finally stopping the laughing. '_Imma have to see how he reacts to being called a cat one day!'_

_"_Well at least you don't have a death grip on my shirt anymore, but I think it's a lost cause now. Most likely stretched beyond repair." He sighed dramatically. I rolled my eyes.

"I'll see if I can fix it, if it's even damaged." I felt, more than heard him laugh, but was quickly distracted by the fact that there was light! It wasn't too far away and was steadily growing with each step Erik took. "Yay" I whispered.

Erik stopped and set me down at the beginning of a long hallway, that was luckily lit the whole way. I turned and looked up at him. "WHY does it seem to take so long to get to your "_lair_"?"

He grabbed one of the candles off the wall and looked down at me smirking. "Because it makes it more difficult for unwanted guests to find me." With that he started to lead the way down the hall. "That's why the stair way is pitch black, to make it pretty much impossible to see."

"Well you did a good job with that one. I couldn't see anything...I don't think I would have been able to see anything even if I had both of my eyes." I looked around the hall as we walked and noticed a lot of random doors and passages. "Soooo what's all of this?" I'd stopped at a particularly strange looking door, it was a double door that looked like it would lead to an office. I traced my hand on one of the big bronze handles and wondered what could possibly be on the other side of them.

**Erik's POV~**

I looked back and shook my head at her, '_This girl is such a pain. Then why bother keeping her? Just let __**John**_ _have her.' _I shook my head again and grabbed her hand. "Wouldn't open those. There spikes on the other side, rigged to spring up when the door opens." Her eyes widened for a moment then moved to look up at me with an amused look in them. I raised an eye brow at her, but she just continued to look up at me with the same damned look. "What?"

Nicholas turned back to the doors and smiled at them, shaking her head. "Just thinking about how much of a mad genius you are. I mean because if people came looking for you and somehow got in this hallway they would come across these doors and think that you're most diffidently behind them because they look like the doors to a bosses office or something." She looked up at me and smiled. "It's so flipping clever!"

I stared down at her. '_Whats wrong with this girl. If I'd told Claire about the spikes she would have looked at me with discuss or fear. Yet here is a seemingly normal girl that somehow accepts and marvels at my traps.' _I turned and pulled on her hand to get her to follow me down the hall. '_This is why I can't leave her. She's different. And I don't think the world could stand to lose another different person. Yep that's why I'm not letting go of her hand, because if I do she'll probably kill herself on one of my traps. Not because I like holding it. Nope, she's not Claire! She's not my angle. She's just some stupid girl._' I glanced back at her and watched her look at all the different traps I'd set up, she didn't look frightened by them, but instead interested. She turned back to me and caught me looking, I watched her as she smiled at me her left cheek denting in for her one dimple, she eyes squinting closed, and her hand squeezing mine slightly. I turned back shook my head. '_She's NOT Claire! She's just a stupid, over trusting, stubborn, annoying girl! And that's all she'll ever be to me. Just an extra student. Someone to help me get to Claire's heart!"_

_'I kept telling myself this as we walked, but as much as I would deny it, I never once let go of her hand, because the thought of her getting hurt...especially by something I built, made me sick to my stomach...that and the fact that she held my hand like she wanted to, and not because she had to, it just...it made me happy...but she'll never know. My heart, voice, body, my everything belongs to Claire.'_


End file.
